New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-09
BIG TRAFFIC ON THE RAIL.
A MOVEMENT ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED.



any recent previous month and passenger business mas
been far heavier than has been known since the war;
Any one whose business has taken him into the neigh
borhood OF our large railroad freight depots in the last
thirty forty days could not fail to observe the indc
tons of the movement of unusual quantities of goods
and inquiry among the employed IN checklES'
billing and handling them would have resulted In the
information that very heavy business being done
which required larger percentage OF night work to =
pose of than had demanded for years Inquiry NJ
the general railroad offices confirms the Impression re-
ceived at the freight dcpots. This unquestoned in
crease in freight traffic which observation anu inquiry
has extended al7o the express and other trans
pOrtaon companies l. due largely To the Improvement
in trade throughout the country to which TIE TRIBUNE
has before called attention. The fact that the hea'y
freight has been extended proves the correct
of the confidence expressed In the pcrnanency OF
general trade which had such suspicious revival some
weeks ago.
But the freight increase is essentially overshaowed ty
the enlargement of the passenger traffic. which Is 50 far
in of what has been recently known as to be
matter Of as,Onishment to railroad officials themselves
I'm the history OF the principal roads have they run
so many extra and trains and for so long period
making September a red letter" month to railroad
managers This statement is true of the trunk lines
especially but the smaller roads have shared in the ge
eral prosperity.
CHEAP FARFs STIMULATING TRAVELLING.
The reasons given for the in passenger traffic
various Passenger Pool commissioner fears"h
thinks thai IL largely due in the of local business
to the reductions in fares for short distances policy OF
which he has been for many years stanch advocate.
regards through traffic he credits it principally to the
accreton general business throughout the country
Immediately following the weather every year it is
usual t. witness stimulated condition of passenger
business but sucan advance that of this year il ex
ceptioual: but as Is confined 10 single road or
system it cannot result from the improvements and
special attractions which most Of the companies have
devised the purpose Of gaining the favor of the trav
Cling public. \ TRIBUNE reporter who visited the
general railroad offices yesterday AMI made inquiries on
the subject Of many OF the principal officers learned that
the September business, both freight ana passenger
exceeded that of the preceding month and very
heavy advance over septic nber. 1856 Az full state
for the month have not yet been received at the
main Offices comparative figures cannot be given, but
the universal testimony of officials is to the above elect
First Vice President Charles c. Clarke, of the New
York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company,
asserted September had been by far the heaviest
month In transporting that his company hal
known while the traffic OF the freight department had
also largely exceeded that OF August and would show
very gain september of last year. but IL wOId
not exhibit the proporonaely heavy Increase OF the
passenger department. This improvement in both
departments is due. think" said Mr. Clarke. to the
general improvement OF business but you must Ieen-
Der that have introduced Improvements on our road
AMI increased facilities in every possible direction
These have escaped the attention OF people VINO
travel for either pleasure business and have had the
effect of largely adding to patronage" The reporter
learned from another that the increase In the
gross receipts of this road the month OF september
averaged from $4,000 100000 per week over those
Of the preceding month, considerably more than
| 100000 over August
| IMPROVEMENTS THAT ATTRACT PASS TN@ER'
Henry Monet general passenger agent stated that
the present business his department exceeded any
I Gan
vet" he said "but you will make mistake IN saying
that there has been immense increase in our pas
senger business cannot say why this Is so particularly
but think people beginning to realize the dement's OF
our fourtrlc system together with the fact that every
bridge upon our road is constructed OF steel iron
s.anchon-, reducing the chances OF accident To the
minimum efforts have been made during the last
YEAR to give satisfaction the public. bOtn In improved
service and polite attention. The united efforts of MI
Dcpcw Mr. Vanderbilt and Mr. Touccy In the matter OF
polite attention. which To certain extent over
looked in orr service the past have produced good re-
suits Then accommodate have been greatly en-
l,rgcL year ago put hityiyc new Pullman sle"l"
ing-cars on. We have these In constant USE 10
gethcr with all our previous available stock ana nave
not sleeping cars enough We arc "a L. IN n,,o
whore 200 men are employed The work OF interior
decoration Is done here by POTTER symus our I.sti-
bulc: trains expect 10 begin running dis winter
/ Assistant General Passenger Agent f. j. Richards
sai our present business i largely III excess OF as
year We are now running two extra sleeper ana one
i continuation buffet smoking limited 10
Chicago: an extra drawing room car cach "a ouhto .u
Niagara Fails aud constantly Obliged TO PUT extra
Chicago aud s. Louis our trains running 10 sarat3ga.
Rchncd springs and other places within the state show
- large increase last year our gross PASSENGER
receipts for September are probably S5Ooooo over sep
+. Clark. If. general freight agent, said that the
freight traffic Of the Central for september would show
handsome advance August and large increase over
sod than we have ever done before and the records
will show II. cannot say why haven't le 10 I" mo
business to do"
| BIG MOVEMENT on THE PENNSYLVANIA LINES.
The same story was told the Pennsylvania offices.
both as regards passengers and freight samie Car
pcnter, general passenger agent, remarked; "o are
doing all we can do and using NIL our available stock
We extra sections every night and have MAJ All the
season We have two extras tonight. since september
we frequently have had three four extra sections
think vesbulcd train. feature peculiar to the
Pennsylvnia road. has been strong card for us
and has had effect of winning the favor ana patron
~ Of through passcngers local business Is Just rs
good propOronatoly. | cannot give You any hSurcs'
"A our main Offices where the reports received are In
philadelphia but am that the month OF september
has been very heavily in excess OF ayear ago anu VIII
show a large gain also over August
Freight business found in much the same state OF
inproyement AS was claimed the offices OF the New
York Central and there was said to be an increase TOT
september over August of this year and september
ls.6 Far more work il obliged to BIO done at night
than AT this time year in order TO keep up with the
demands of the public
The business of the NewYork New Haven and Hart
ford Railroad for september shows considerable al
vance over September 1856 both as to passengers AMI
freight and extra running in both departments
Auditor \ C. Fleetwood said: Although our passenger
rate has been reduced from IL 10 cents per mile
reduction of oneftn 20 per cen the result has peeh
an increase and a decided one In receipts loca safes
especially have improved and show gratifying gam
Freight alsp as indicated by receipts, shows large
increase over last year september increase over
and over september OF last year Is large An mproNe
| ment We are making is the aDoiishnent OF gr'ulo
crossings to accomplish which civil engineers ue
driven law and gh also our roaimaser orcs
When the work in hand Is completed we VIII ahNe iii
tyn lrtde crossings I'm the state of NewlOrk they VIII
he in the town of Mount Vernon We are also pusnIhs
the work of building four tracks as rapidly IA poSsoe
They are now down aud in between NalnaIoneck anu